Apple Inc.

Other

Amir Salehi

Michael Nathaniel Rosenblatt

Dennis R Pyper

Michael Nikkhoo

Gloria Lin

Wyeman Chen

Meng Chi Lee

Joseph R Fisher, Jr

Ziv Wolkowicki

Vu Thanh Vo

David A Pakula

Daniel William Jarvis

Ian A Spraggs

Gregory N Stephens

Derek J Walters

Alex J Crumlin

Michael Victor Yeh

Corey S Provencher

Tony Aghazarian

Bryson Gardner, Jr

W Bryson Gardner

Hammid Mohammadinia

Jun Zhai

Nicholas Unger Webb

Steven P Cardinali

Flynn P Carson

Michael D Hillman

Barry J Corlett

Lan H Hoang

Shakti Singh Chauhan

Gregory L Tice

Jonathan Neal Urquhart

Chang Liu

James H Foster

Anwyl M McDonald

Shankar S Pennathur

Richard Lidio Blanco

Ronald Jack Smith

Siddharth Nangia

Reese T Cutler

Takayoshi Katahira

James W Bilanski

Sean A Bailey

William Bryson Gardner, Jr

Scott L Gooch

Ramamurthy Chandhrasekhar

Oscar Woo

Hammid Mahammadinia

David Reha

Dave Goh

Clayton R Anderson

James M Crowder

Jeffrey J Van Norden

The present disclosure is related to printed circuit board packages and methods of assembly that may be used in the fabrication of electrical devices. Printed circuit board packages may be manufactured by stacking printed circuit board assemblies. Each printed circuit board assembly may have multiple printed circuit boards supported by a resin mold. The printed circuit board assemblies may be shaped to improve space utilization efficiency and to accommodate large electrical components that are attached to the printed circuit board package.

Stacked printed circuit board packages

Readily manufactured structures for sealing or encapsulating devices in system-in-a-package modules, such that the modules are easily assembled, have a low-profile, and are space efficient. One example may provide readily manufactured covers for SIP modules. These modules may be easily assembled by attaching the cover to a top side of a substrate. These SIP modules may have a low-profile, for example when their height is reduced using one or more recesses in a bottom surface of a top of the recess, where the one or more recesses are arranged to accept one or more components. These SIP modules may be made space efficient by placing an edge of a cover near an edge of the substrate and connecting the plating of the cover using side plating on, or vias through, the substrate.

Low-profile space-efficient shielding for SIP module

A circuit board assembly in an electronic is disclosed. To conserve space in the electronic device, the circuit board assembly includes stacked circuit boards in electrical communication with each other, such as a first circuit board stacked over a second circuit board. Each circuit board may include multiple surfaces that carry operational components. Moreover, the first circuit board may include a first surface and the second circuit board may include a second surface facing the first surface. The first and second surfaces may include operational components in corresponding locations. Also, the operational components may include corresponding shapes such that one component is positioned in another component. The components may electrically connect to each other. Also, the circuit board assembly may include EMI shields around an outer perimeter in order to shield the operational components form EMI and to components in the electronic device from EMI emanating from the operational components.

Stacked circuit board architecture in an electronic device

Readily modifiable and customizable, low-area overhead interconnect structures for forming connections between a system-in-a-package module and other components in an electronic device. One example may provide an interposer for providing an interconnection between a system-in-a-package module and other components in an electronic device. Another may provide a plurality of conductive pins or contacts to form interconnect paths between a module and other components.

Low-area overhead connectivity solutions to SIP module

Circuit boards are provided that include a functional portion and at least one removable test point portion. The removable test point portion may include test points which are accessed to verify whether the functional portion is operating properly or whether installed electronic components are electrically coupled to the board. If multiple boards are manufactured together on a single panel (in which the individual boards are broken off), the test points can be placed on bridges (e.g., removable portions) that connect the individual boards together during manufacturing and testing. Configurable test boards are also provided that can be adjusted to accommodate circuit boards of different size and electrical testing requirements. Methods and systems for testing these circuit boards are also provided.

Configurable testing platforms for circuit boards with removable test point portions

Electronic components on a substrate may be shielded using electromagnetic shielding structures. Insulating materials may be used to provide structural support and to help prevent electrical shorting between conductive materials and the components. The shielding structures may include compartments formed using metal fences that surround selected components or by injection molding plastic. The shielding structures may be formed using metal foil wrapped over the components and the substrate. Electronic components may be tested using test posts or traces to identify components that are faulty. The test posts or traces may be deposited on the substrate and may be used to convey test signals between test equipment and the components. After successful testing, the test posts may be permanently shielded. Alternatively, temporary shielding structures may be used to allow testing of individual components before an electronic device is fully assembled.

Electromagnetic shielding structures for selectively shielding components on a substrate

Electronic devices may be provided with printed circuits to which integrated circuits and other electrical components may be mounted. A first printed circuit may have a first surface with an array of contact pads arranged in rows and columns. Each column of contact pads may have a series of contact pads separated by gaps. The contact pads in each column may be staggered with respect to the contact pads in adjacent columns such that each contact pad in a given column is horizontally adjacent to associated gaps in the adjacent columns. A component may be mounted to an opposing surface of the printed circuit such that it overlaps one of the gaps between the staggered contact pads. By mounting the component to portions of the first printed circuit that do not overlap the staggered contact pads, the risk of damaging the electrical component during solder reflow operations may be minimized.

Printed circuits with staggered contact pads and compact component mounting arrangements

The described embodiment relates generally to the field of inductive bonding. More specifically an inductive heater designed for use in assembling electronics is disclosed. A number of methods for shaping a magnetic field are disclosed for the purpose of completing an inductive bonding process without causing harm to unshielded adjacent electrical components.

Induction bonding

This is directed to methods and apparatus for shielding a circuitry region of an electronic device from interference (e.g., EMI). A conductive dam may be formed about a periphery of the circuitry region. A non-conductive or electrically insulating fill may then be applied to the circuitry region within the dam. Next, a conductive cover may be applied above the fill. The cover may be electrically coupled to the dam. The dam may include two or more layers of conductive material stacked on top of one another. In some embodiments, the conductive cover may be pad printed or screen printed above the fill. In other embodiments, the conductive cover may be a conductive tablet that is melted above the fill.

Methods and apparatus for shielding circuitry from interference

This relates to systems and methods for providing one or more vias through a module of an electrical system. For example, in some embodiments, the module can include one or more passive elements and/or active of the electrical system around which a packaging has been plastic molded. The module can be stacked under another component of the electrical system. Vias can then be provided that extend through the module. The vias can include, for example, electrically conductive pathways. In this manner, the vias can provide electrical pathways for coupling the component stacked on top of the module to other entities of an electronic device including the electrical system. For example, the component can be coupled to other entities such as other components, other modules, printed circuit boards, other electrical systems, or to any other suitable entity.

Systems and methods for providing vias through a modular component

A process for assembling a rigid-flex printed circuit board (PCB) is presented. During operation, the process receives rigid-flex PCBs that are to be coupled together, wherein a rigid-flex PCB includes flexible PCBs coupled to rigid PCBs. The process then places the PCBs onto a carrier which is configured to: align the PCBs so that bond regions located on the flexible PCBs overlap with bond regions located on corresponding flexible PCBs, and apply pressure to the overlapped bond regions. The process then sends the carrier through a reflow oven which reflows solder on the PCBs so that the components become mechanically and electrically coupled to the PCBs. The temperature profile generated by the reflow oven and the pressure applied by the carrier cures and sets an anisotropic conductive film located in the bond regions so that the overlapped flexible PCBs become mechanically and electrically coupled together.

Technique for reducing wasted material on a printed circuit board panel

Electrical components, such as packaged integrated circuit devices that are mountable on a substrate surface, are provided with at least one exposed electrical contact on a side surface of the component that will be substantially perpendicular to the substrate surface when the component is mounted. Two such components can be mounted side-by-side on the substrate surface with the above-mentioned contacts close to one another between the above-mentioned side surfaces. An electrical connection between the contacts can be made (or perfected) by depositing an electrically conductive connector material in contact with both of the contacts between the above-mentioned side surfaces.

Electrical connection interfaces and methods for adjacently positioned circuit components

Methods and apparatuses for testing circuit boards having side mounted test pads are described here. In one aspect of the invention, a test method includes applying test probes to test pads located on at least one side plane of a circuit board. The test method further includes testing components of the circuit board by applying electrical signals to the test pads that are each coupled to at least one of a plurality of conductive members coupled to the circuit board.

Methods and apparatuses for testing circuit boards

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Amir Salehi